Moderate backbenchers believe home secretary’s divisive behaviour over past week is destroying party’s electoral chances

Rishi Sunak’s authority as prime minister will be in tatters unless he sacks his controversial and divisive home secretary, Suella Braverman, within days, senior Tories have said.

As anger at her incendiary claims of police bias and open defiance of No 10 grow, the expectation among most Conservatives is that Sunak will dismiss Braverman early this week, opening the way for a cabinet reshuffle that, his allies hope, could yet revitalise his premiership.